Influence of Silica Nanofluid on CO₂ Mass Transfer and Hydrocarbon Property Alteration in a Carbonated Water-Hydrocarbon System

Abstract:

The study investigates the impact of a nanofluid suspended in carbonated water (CW) on the CO₂ mass transfer into hydrocarbon in a carbonated water/hydrocarbon system. Furthermore the study addresses into the influence of the nanofluid assisted CO₂ mass transfer on the viscosity and density of hydrocarbon and its relevance to enhanced oil recovery (EOR). The experiments were carried out at 10-70 bar at 25°C and 45°C using an axisymmetric drop shape analysis (ADSA) for three concentrations of silica nanofluid (0, 0.05, 0.5, and 1.0 g/l). A pressure decay method was used to estimate the change in CO₂ solubility in water in the presence of the nanofluid. A mathematical model coupled with experimental input was used to quantify the mass of CO₂ transferred into the hydrocarbon from the CW. Although this work does not address the EOR process, it indicates its applicability for EOR. The results showed that the dispersed nanofluid in CW enhanced the CO₂ mass transfer into the hydrocarbon, and reduced the hydrocarbon viscosity and density. The pressure decay experiments indicated that the nanofluid increases the mass of CO₂ in water by 17% compared to that without nanofluid. Compared to CW, CNF (CW+nanofluid) increased the CO₂ mass transfer into the hydrocarbon drop by approximately 2% at 10 bar and 45% at 60 bar, this leads to an increment in volume of the pendant drop by approximately 3% at 10 bar and 48% at 60 bar at 25°C. A similar observation was made at 45°C. The nanofluid through CO₂ mass transfer was responsible for approximately 40% and 29% reduction in the viscosity and density respectively, when compared with CW. Compared to CO₂/hydrocarbon the CNF/hydrocarbon lead to a 17.3% volume increase at 30 bar to 91.2% at 50 bar. The increase in the drop volume is unlikely to be due to the migration of nanofluid across the interface into the hydrocarbon drop as indicated by analysis done using UV spectrophotometry and may be due to increase in the CO₂ concentration gradient across the interface due to increase in the CO₂ solubility in CW.

• Periodical: Defect and Diffusion Forum (Volume 390)
• Pages: 99-111
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/DDF.390.99
• Online since: January 2019
• Authors: Nikhil Bagalkot, Aly A. Hamouda, Ole Morten Isdahl
• Keywords: Carbonated Water, Diffusion Coefficient, Mass Transfer Mechanism, Nanofluid, Viscosity

References

[1] Ju, B., T. Fan, and M. Ma, Enhanced oil recovery by flooding with hydrophilic nanoparticles. China Particuology, 2006. 4(1): pp.41-46.

DOI: 10.1016/s1672-2515(07)60232-2

[2] Li, R., et al., Experimental Investigation of Silica-Based Nanofluid Enhanced Oil Recovery: The Effect of Wettability Alteration. Energy & Fuels, 2016. 31(1): pp.188-197.

DOI: 10.1021/acs.energyfuels.6b02001

[3] Lee, J.W. and Y.T. Kang, CO 2 absorption enhancement by Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles in NaCl aqueous solution. Energy, 2013. 53: pp.206-211.

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2013.02.047

[4] Kim, W.-g., et al., Synthesis of silica nanofluid and application to CO2 absorption. Separation Science and Technology, 2008. 43(11-12): pp.3036-3055.

DOI: 10.1080/01496390802063804

[5] Busahmin, B., et al., Review on hole cleaning for horizontal wells. (2006).

[6] Busahmin, B., et al. Studies on the stability of the foamy oil in developing heavy oil reservoirs. in Defect and Diffusion Forum. 2016. Trans Tech Publ.

DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/ddf.371.111

[7] McBride-Wright, M., G.C. Maitland, and J.M. Trusler, Viscosity and Density of Aqueous Solutions of Carbon Dioxide at Temperatures from (274 to 449) K and at Pressures up to 100 MPa. Journal of Chemical & Engineering Data, 2014. 60(1): pp.171-180.

DOI: 10.1021/je5009125

[8] Bagalkot, N. and A.A. Hamouda, Experimental and Numerical Method for Estimating Diffusion Coefficient of the Carbon Dioxide into Light Components. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 2017. 56(9): pp.2359-2374.

DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.6b04318

[9] Linstrom, P. and W. Mallard, NIST chemistry webbook, NIST standard reference database number 69, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg MD, 20899. (2010).

[10] Isdahl, O.M., Influence of Silica Based Nanofluid on the Physical Properties, IFT, and CO2 Diffusion in a Carbonated Water-n-decane system: An Experimental and Numerical Study. 2017, University of Stavanger, Norway.

[11] Haghtalab, A., M. Mohammadi, and Z. Fakhroueian, Absorption and solubility measurement of CO 2 in water-based ZnO and SiO 2 nanofluids. Fluid Phase Equilibria, 2015. 392:pp.33-42.

DOI: 10.1016/j.fluid.2015.02.012

[12] Zhu, H., B.H. Shanks, and T.J. Heindel, Enhancing CO− water mass transfer by functionalized MCM41 nanoparticles. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 2008. 47(20): pp.7881-7887.

DOI: 10.1021/ie800238w

[13] Shimadzu. The Structure of a Spectrophotometer 2017 [cited 2017 15.12]; Available from: https://www.shimadzu.com/an/uv/support/fundamentals/structure.html.

[14] Bagalkot, N., A.A. Hamouda, and O.M. Isdahl, Dynamic Interfacial Tension Measurement Method Using Axisymmetric Drop Shape Analysis. MethodsX, (2018).

DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2018.06.012

[15] Herning, F. and L. Zipperer, Calculation of the viscosity of technical gas mixtures from the viscosity of individual gases. Gas u. Wasserfach, 1936. 79: p.69.

[16] Kandil, M.E., N.M. Al-Saifi, and A.S. Sultan, Simulation and measurements of volumetric and phase behavior of carbon dioxide+ higher alkanes at high pressure: CO2+ n-decane at temperatures (313–410) K and pressures up to 76 MPa. International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 2016. 53: pp.198-206.

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijggc.2016.07.045

[17] Zambrano, J., et al., Volumetric behaviour of (carbon dioxide+ hydrocarbon) mixtures at high pressures. The Journal of Supercritical Fluids, 2016. 110: pp.103-109.

DOI: 10.1016/j.supflu.2016.01.002

[18] Yang, D. and Y. Gu, Determination of Diffusion Coefficients and Interface Mass-Transfer Coefficients of the Crude Oil− CO2 System by Analysis of the Dynamic and Equilibrium Interfacial Tensions. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 2008. 47(15): pp.5447-5455.

DOI: 10.1021/ie800053d

[19] Yang, D., P. Tontiwachwuthikul, and Y. Gu, Dynamic interfacial tension method for measuring gas diffusion coefficient and interface mass transfer coefficient in a liquid. Industrial & engineering chemistry research, 2006. 45(14): pp.4999-5008.

DOI: 10.1021/ie060047e

[20] Fathollahi, A. and B. Rostami, Carbonated water injection: Effects of silica nanoparticles and operating pressure. The Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering, 2015. 93(11): pp.1949-1956.

DOI: 10.1002/cjce.22289

[21] Kang, Y.T., H.J. Kim, and K.I. Lee, Heat and mass transfer enhancement of binary nanofluids for H2O/LiBr falling film absorption process. International Journal of Refrigeration, 2008. 31(5): pp.850-856.

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijrefrig.2007.10.008

[22] Ashrafmansouri, S.-S. and M.N. Esfahany, Mass transfer in nanofluids: A review. International Journal of Thermal Sciences, 2014. 82: pp.84-99.

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijthermalsci.2014.03.017

[23] Krishnamurthy, S., et al., Enhanced mass transport in nanofluids. Nano letters, 2006. 6(3): pp.419-423.

[24] Fang, X., Y. Xuan, and Q. Li, Experimental investigation on enhanced mass transfer in nanofluids. Applied Physics Letters, 2009. 95(20): p.203108.

DOI: 10.1063/1.3263731